Frames and gutters 

Giovanni Battista Piranesi created this intricate print titled "Frames and Gutters." Its black lines on a white ground delineate architectural fragments in stunning detail. The linear precision and stark contrast give the image a dramatic quality. Piranesi masterfully uses line and shading to define the forms, creating a palpable sense of depth and texture. The precision in depicting these architectural remnants transforms them into almost abstract patterns when viewed up close. Note how each fragment is distinctly framed, yet they are arranged together on the page. This highlights a dialogue between the individual form and the collective structure. This interplay between fragmentation and structure, detail and abstraction, reflects Piranesi's fascination with architectural forms, and invites us to consider the complex relationships between the parts and the whole.